Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Trump Talks to Family of Slain Valley Police Officer Ronil Singh
GV-Wire-1
By gvwire
Published 6 years ago on
January 4, 2019

Share

President Donald Trump has spoken to the family and former colleagues of the Newman police officer who was shot to death during a Dec. 26 traffic stop by an alleged Mexican national accused of living in the U.S. illegally.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump praised Cpl. Ronil Singh’s service and offered condolences to his wife, Amanika “Mika” Chand-Singh, during a phone call.
The president also spoke with Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson and Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson.

Trump Continues to Seek Border Wall Funding

The calls come as the White House has been trying to highlight the dangers of illegal immigration. Trump is attempting to rally support for his long-stalled border wall.
Trump is demanding $5 billion toward building it, but House and Senate Democrats have refused to approve the wall funding.
The impasse has caused a partial federal government shutdown that was in its 13th day Thursday.

Stanislaus Sheriff Blames Singh’s Killing on Sanctuary State Law

In a news conference last Friday in Modesto to announce the arrest near Bakersfield of 32-year old Gustavo Perez Arriaga, a Mexican national, Christianson said if not for SB 54, Singh may still be alive.
“This could have been preventable. Under SB 54 in California, based on two arrests for DUI and some other active warrants this criminal has out there, law enforcement would have been prevented, prohibited from sharing the information with ICE about this criminal gang member,” Christianson said.

De Leon Defends SB 54

However, Kevin de León, the former state senator who authored SB 54, defended the law in the wake of Singh’s killing.
De León criticized Christianson for playing politics, even though the sheriff said he wasn’t.
“If there were active warrants on this individual, he should have physically been in custody prior to this tragic shooting,” de León told KCBS radio in San Francisco, shortly after Christianson’s SB 54 assertions.
De León said he hopes that Arriaga is successfully prosecuted and spends the rest of his life in prison, but said SB 54 is legal and valid.

Court Orders Mental Evaluation of Charged Suspect

Perez Arriaga’s attorney, Stephen Foley, questioned his client’s mental competency, leading the court on Wednesday to delay the case until the suspect gets a mental health evaluation.

Photo of crowd outside of Stanislaus County courthouse in Modesto
People hold flags and signs Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, outside the Stanislaus County Superior courthouse in Modesto, Calif., where formal charges were filed against Gustavo Perez Arriaga in the Dec. 26, 2018, shooting death of Newman Police Cpl. Ronil Singh. (Andy Alfaro/The Modesto Bee via AP)
(Associated Press contributed to this report.)

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Texas Walmart Shooter Who Killed 23 Avoids Death Penalty by Pleading Guilty

DON'T MISS

Chevron Announces First Oil at Ballymore Project in US Gulf

DON'T MISS

Fresno Barbershop Shooting Leaves Man Dead, Two Others Injured

DON'T MISS

Vance, Modi Welcome Significant Progress on India-US Trade Deal

DON'T MISS

White House Denies Report It Is Searching for New Defense Secretary

DON'T MISS

Israeli Spy Chief Hands Court Scathing Rebuke of Netanyahu Bid to Sack Him

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Satbir Singh

DON'T MISS

Steeply Discounted OD-Reversal Medicine Now Available to Any Californian

DON'T MISS

Merced College Breaks Ground on $21 Million Center Geared for Tomorrow’s Ag Jobs

DON'T MISS

Delta Plane Suffers Engine Fire in Orlando, Forcing Evacuation

UP NEXT

Steeply Discounted OD-Reversal Medicine Now Available to Any Californian

UP NEXT

Merced College Breaks Ground on $21 Million Center Geared for Tomorrow’s Ag Jobs

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Arrest 11 for DUI During Weekend Enforcement

UP NEXT

One Man Dead After Kings River Rescue Attempt in Fresno County

UP NEXT

Fresno County Will Sell Naming Rights for Clovis and Reedley Libraries

UP NEXT

Chargers in Need of Help at Wide Receiver and Tight End in the NFL Draft

UP NEXT

Magic Happens When Kids and Adults Learn to Swim. Tragedy Can Strike if They Don’t.

UP NEXT

Big Fresno Fair Board Will Be Led by an American Sikh for 1st Time

UP NEXT

AI ‘Friend’ for Public School Students Falls Flat

UP NEXT

Progressive Icon and Ex-US Rep. Barbara Lee Wins Race for Mayor of Oakland

Vance, Modi Welcome Significant Progress on India-US Trade Deal

2 hours ago

White House Denies Report It Is Searching for New Defense Secretary

2 hours ago

Israeli Spy Chief Hands Court Scathing Rebuke of Netanyahu Bid to Sack Him

2 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Satbir Singh

3 hours ago

Steeply Discounted OD-Reversal Medicine Now Available to Any Californian

3 hours ago

Merced College Breaks Ground on $21 Million Center Geared for Tomorrow’s Ag Jobs

3 hours ago

Delta Plane Suffers Engine Fire in Orlando, Forcing Evacuation

3 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest 11 for DUI During Weekend Enforcement

3 hours ago

Reddit Down for Thousands of Users Worldwide

4 hours ago

Israeli Minister Says Freeing Hostages Not ‘Most Important’ Aim of the War

4 hours ago

Texas Walmart Shooter Who Killed 23 Avoids Death Penalty by Pleading Guilty

(Reuters) – The gunman who killed 23 people and injured 22 others in a 2019 mass shooting aimed at Latinos at a Texas Walmart pleaded ...

17 minutes ago

El Paso Walmart mass shooter Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old male from Allen, Texas, accused of killing 22 and injuring 25, is arraigned, in El Paso, Texas, U.S. October 10, 2019. (Mark Lambie/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)
17 minutes ago

Texas Walmart Shooter Who Killed 23 Avoids Death Penalty by Pleading Guilty

A Chevron gas station sign is seen in Austin, Texas, U.S., October 23, 2023. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
1 hour ago

Chevron Announces First Oil at Ballymore Project in US Gulf

Jampier Quintero, 44, was killed and two others were injured in a shooting Saturday at a Fresno barbershop, with police still searching for suspects. (Fresno PD)
1 hour ago

Fresno Barbershop Shooting Leaves Man Dead, Two Others Injured

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets U.S. Vice President JD Vance at his residence in New Delhi, India, April 21, 2025. India's Press Information (Bureau/Handout via REUTERS)
2 hours ago

Vance, Modi Welcome Significant Progress on India-US Trade Deal

A view of the White House in Washington, U.S., July 20, 2024. (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo)
2 hours ago

White House Denies Report It Is Searching for New Defense Secretary

Israeli Security Agency director Ronen Bar attends a memorial ceremony of the Hamas attack on October 7 last year that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on October 27, 2024. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)
2 hours ago

Israeli Spy Chief Hands Court Scathing Rebuke of Netanyahu Bid to Sack Him

Satbir Singh is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for April 21, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
3 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Satbir Singh

3 hours ago

Steeply Discounted OD-Reversal Medicine Now Available to Any Californian

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend